As the minutes closed in on the final Free Practice session at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, it was the reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista [Aruba.It Racing – Ducati] who set the pace for the weekend to come.
Nicolo Bulega [Aruba.It Racing WorldSSP Team] has set the benchmark high in WorldSSP on the conclusion of their third Free Practice session for the Official Test, with Stefano Manzi [Ten Kate Racing Yamaha] and Can Oncu [Kawasaki Puccetti Racing] following closely behind.
Australian rider Remy Gardner is settling in nicely to life as a WorldSBK rider in the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team. The Australian Official Test has proved positive for the 2021 Moto2 World Champion, who has been in hot contention in the Independent times.
Day 2 of the Official Test got underway this morning, with World Superbikes first out on track at 9.10am (AEDST) to commence today’s proceedings with a two-hour FP1 session.
It was a busy day for Alvaro Bautista [Aruba.It Racing – Ducati] on Day 1 of the Official Test at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which he hailed as “a day of comparing different set-ups”.
The sun has set on what was a dramatic opening day of pre-season testing for the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. With multiple red flag stoppages, and a crash from all top three contenders of 2022, in the end only nine-tenths separated the top 8 riders on the conclusion of Day 1.
The conclusion of the first Official Test day for the FIM World Supersport Championship saw an Italian 1-2, but the young Australian rider Oli Bayliss found himself hot in the mix in third.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It – Racing Ducati) looked seemingly untouchable in the first Free Practice session of the Official Test, but a late charge and untouchable lap from Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) with just two-minutes to go saw the Italian land on top with a 1:31.008.
A strong 2023 season awaits for Australia’s Oli Bayliss, as he takes on his second World Supersport season campaign – his first, however, with the D34G Racing team.
Team HRC aim to bridge the gap as Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge dive into their second WorldSBK season.
